The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly

The Scarecrow
Michael Connelly
Little, Brown, and Company (2009)
ISBN 9780316166300
Reviewed by Laura Johnson for Reader Views (7/09)


Michael Connelly is no stranger to the murder mystery genre. He is a #1 BestSelling Author that has written more than a dozen selections that chronicle the life of a reporter trying to get the story. In Connelly’s latest installment, “The Scarecrow,” he once again follows the path that has given him great success. Jack McEvoy, a cop beat writer for the LA Times, has been told that he will lose his job due to dwindling revenue and will need to train his replacement. McEvoy takes the news in stride and decides to leave the office in style, by discovering a story that could possibly earn him a Pulitzer.

McEvoy comes across the trail of a 16-year-old boy that has seemingly confessed to a heinous crime, yet there is more to the story after a closer look. McEvoy then teams up with Rachel Walling, a character from a former Connelly novel, and the two take off on a wild chase to find out the true story of the serial murders and just who the Scarecrow is. The book provides intrique, mystery, and enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat for what path McEvoy and Walling will take next. The reader knows early on in the book who the Scarecrow is, but will find himself fighting for the characters to figure it out, and deal out the justice that needs to occur. The ending was not what I expected and I have to wonder if there is more to come with this story.

“The Scarecrow” contains characters that have appeared in previous selections by Connelly, but the reader does not need to have read those to enjoy this one. I highly recommend this selection by Michael Connelly for anyone that is looking for a great who-done-it thriller story.